Prognostic Influence of Early Diagnostic Splenectomy in Hodgkin's Disease

ABSTRACT. The influence of early laparotomy with splenectomy on prognosis in patients with Hodgkin's disease who were regarded as having uncertain prognostic indices (all patients except those with lymphocytic predominance and nodular sclerosis stages IA and IIA with right-sided presentation, stage IV disease, splenomegaly or age >65 years) was evaluated in a randomized trial initiated in Jan. 1973. The patients were treated with total nodal irradiation (excluding the splenic and hepatic areas) and 33 of 69 patients were randomized to laparotomy with splenectomy. No significant difference in relapse-free or overall survival was found between the two groups after a median observation time of 85 months. Progressive or recurrent disease was as common in splenectomized as in non-splenectomized patients. Splenectomized patients with splenic tumour involvement fared worse than those without. It is concluded that diagnostic laparotomy with splenectomy is of no benefit in this clinical setting.